Writers’s Guild gives students creative outlet, published too
- November 8, 2002
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- Kathryn Taylor, Staff Writer
- Section: News
Writers' Guild was founded in 1996 by students who wanted an open forum for people who are interesting in writing poetry, short stories, novels and plays.
Every semester an anthology is published that contains the writings of the members within the organization. On October 26, a collection of 13 of past anthologies were presented to Richard Saunders in Special Collections and Archives in the Paul Meek Library.
The officers of this group are as follows:
Anna Clark- Advisor Leslie LaChance- Assistant Advisor Karen Yarbrough- President Samantha Young- Vice President Crystal Zanders- Secretary/Treasurer Hannah Clawson- Editor/Historian
Over the years, Writers’ Guild has inaugurated many presidents. These presidents include Joseph Watson, Heather Heady, Patricia McDade and current president Karen Yarbrough.
Joseph Watson, who was the founding president of this organization and a Biology major, is currently working on his doctorate at Vanderbilt University, Heather Heady who was an English major, is now working in Memphis and Patricia McDade who was an Animal Science major, is doing graduate work in veterinary science at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Writers’ Guild is a very active group of writers! Every year they plan trips to the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Alex Haley's home in Henning, TN, William Faulkner's home in Oxford, Mississippi and a trip to Memphis, TN to hear Nikki Giovanni read. They schedule two parties each year, one in the fall and one in the spring, and this year they have started sponsoring a movie night.
Every semester the students in this organization conduct readings for various groups. In addition to reading for Kiwanis Club, they have presented a reading for the Twentieth Century Club of Martin. They are also in the process of completing a community service project at the Martin Housing Authority.
There, they help the students at the after-school program make books and write their own stories to put in books.
According to advisor, Anna Clark, “the bookmaking project at Martin Housing Authority has been one of the delights of this semester.”
Writers' Guild meets on Thursdays in the English Writing Center at 7:15 p.m.. There are currently about 15 regularly active members and about 25 on the mailing list. Remember, this organizations is open to students, faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding community. If enjoy writing and are interested in getting involved in community service projects, do not hesitate to join this group. They always welcome new members!
L to R: Leslie LaChance, English Department faculty member; Bryan Sandor, Writers' Guild member; Samantha Young, vice president of Writers' Guild; Karen Yarbrough, president of Writers' Guild; Richard Saunders, Curator, Special Collections/University Archives; and Anna Clark, advisor for Writers' Guild.